The Apple iPod has taken Japan by storm, impressing music fans with its superb sound quality and slick design.

The news highlights the growing dominance of the iPod as a digital media player, since Japanese music fans have notoriously supported home grown products such as the Sony Walkman in the past.

However, buyers young and old have embraced Apple’s invention as it now accounts for over 50 per cent of the digital-music player market – a rise of over 20 per cent since 2004.

One student told Business Week the reasons for his preference of the iPod over other counterparts such as mobile phones.

He said: “The iPod design is cool…the sound quality is much better and the cell-phone battery doesn’t last long enough to enjoy listening to music.”

He added: “The prices are reasonable, too.”

Though mobile phones are diversifying into the digital music domain, the iPod still reigns as the king of portable digital players in Japan, embraced for its quality, design and affordability.

© 2006 Adfero Ltd